Speed Monitoring Awareness RADAR Trailer (SMART)
Our SMART Trailer program is provided by the Byron Police Department as a service to our community.
SMART trailers have been used in the city for several years and are very popular. The use of a SMART trailer is one of the proactive methods we use in response to traffic complaints in residential areas. When our Traffic Enforcement Unit receives complaints about speeding traffic, one of the ways we respond is to do a traffic flow study using a SMART trailer.
The trailer is placed in a conspicuous place for two to three days. During this period, the trailer records data to include the number of vehicles passing by its location, the time of day, and the high and low speeds. The trailer also calculates the average speed of all passing vehicles. All of this information is then printed out on an easy-to-read report which includes graphical displays.
As a vehicle approaches the trailer, its speed is displayed in large numbers. It has been widely observed that the majority of vehicles passing the trailer are well within the speed limit, with only a few vehicles causing the majority of the complaints. By pinpointing the time these violations occur, we are able to schedule selective enforcement during those times.
The trailer is also utilized in areas of frequent traffic-related accidents and speeding offenses. This trailer is designed to inform motorists of their speed as it relates to the posted speed limit.